Tangelwood Revenge
by rika08
Summary: The Tanglewood Boys return for one last showdown against Danny. but what will the costs be for everyone? Can one vistime finally bring their rein of terror to an end and give Danny the peace he's needed? better than sounds. DL rated for voilence and lang.
1. Chapter 1

The doors of a preschool burst opened ad no less than seventeen kids ran out of the school screaming. Their little feet sunk into the gravel-coated playground. Tiny groups of children ventured into different parts of the playground. A small blonde girl ran away from the other children playing. She ran quickly to the other side of the playground.

"Teacher! Teacher!" she yelled. She ran to the chain-link fence, separating the second half of the playground. She looked around the playground. "Teacher Nichole?"

"Shelby, what're you doing over here?" asked one of the teachers. She looked down at the little girl.

"Teacher Kira, what's wrong with Teacher Nichole?" Shelby asked. She pointed to a figure lying in the snowy grass.

"Oh my god!" Nichole cried. She grabbed Shelby and dragged her away from the fence.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mac Taylor stood over the body of nineteen-year-old Nichole Burgavin. Her skin was tinted blue from the extreme cold weather. Red, purple, and black coloring covered her cream skin, most likely from a beating she recently sustained. Her skull bore a deep blow in the back right. Her hands were cut up and covered in sand. A silver chain hung underneath her jacket, covering in blood.

"Nichole Burgavin, nineteen, student at the community college. She was working extra hours for car money. Been workin' here for a year and one of the kids' favorite cleanin' girl." Flack said.

"Cleaning girls?" Lindsay asked, looking up from the camera.

"The school hires these girls to clean up the classrooms. Three rooms inside, plus the outside playground. Nichole was the outside cleaner." Flack explained.

Mac knelt down next to Lindsay. His eyes looked up and down the body, looking for something that didn't fit. He lifted her hand, "Rigor hasn't even set in yet. Her skin doesn't look too deprived of oxygen."

"So she hasn't even been dead three hours." Lindsay guessed.

"Who was the last person to see her?" Mac asked.

Flack looked at his notebook. "Uh that would be Justine. She owns the building. She had Nichole do a little clean up after the kids went inside. That was about two hours ago."

"How can nobody see this? She's back here, beaten to death and no one hears a thing?" Lindsay asked. She snapped another photo of Nichole's body.

Mac looked around the area. The playground did have a blind spot to the area. They were set in front of the shed, where no windows were. Along the small concrete path, there was a chain-link fence and gate. Mac stood up and pointed. "There's a possible entrance." He walked down the path carefully. Among the tiny footprints in the snow, Mac found more. "I've got footprints."

"And I've got blood on the fence." Lindsay said.

Mac turned. Lindsay stood three feet from the body. He walked back and stood next to Lindsay.

"Hey you two got this handled? I've got the other three cleanin' girls comin' in." Flack said.

"We got it covered. Thanks Flack." Mac said. He turned back to the body.

Lindsay sighed. "She's so young, Mac. She couldn't have been more than a freshman in college."

Mac nodded. He examined the damaged portion of Nichole's skull. "Someone wanted to end this girls' life. And they did it brutally."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

yay!!I'm back. just a note, that whole clenaing the back playground is a real job...my job. it's pretty fun too. Shelby is based off of one of the kids at my work...yes i know that means i killed myself fictionally, but I've always wanted to do that with CSI.


	2. Chapter 2

Danny Messer stood in the elevator on his way down to autopsy. Mac had called him half an hour ago, asking to meet in autopsy. A nineteen-year-old girl brutally beaten at work. From what Danny had heard, this girl was shown no mercy. The doors opened and Danny stepped into the hall leading to the room. He walked through the doors and smiled brightly.

"Well hello, Mrs. Messer." he said.

Lindsay turned around, facing him. She smiled, making her angelic face more lovely, "Hey there cowboy."

"Sid and Mac in yet?" Danny asked.

"Not yet, but they should be here any second." Lindsay explained. "Did Lucas give you any trouble dropping him off at your mothers?"

"Nah. He was asleep. I kinda felt guilty doin' that to the little guy." Danny explained.

Lindsay smiled, "Well, at least we make it up to him every night."

Danny came up beside her and wrapped his arm around her waist. Lindsay brought up a cream folder, containing photos form the crime scene. Danny took the file and opened it. His stomach churned in disgust. No one should ever have to see such a sight, especially little children. Flipping through the photos, Danny got such a good look at the brutality, he felt like the autopsy wasn't necessary anymore. This girl was clearly beaten to death.

The doors opened as Sid pushed in the table. Mac followed in behind him. Sid rolled the table in front of Danny and Lindsay. Mac joined the two by the table.

"They keep getting younger." Sid said, shaking his head.

"All the more reason to put these basterds behind bars." Mac replied.

Sid nodded, "Whoever beat this girl was clearly in a rage. They use excessive force throughout the entire beating. Fractured wrists, five ribs, pelvic, dislocated shoulder, tibia, compound fracture of the fibula, six of her fingers, and even three toes."

"And none of these were the cause of death." Danny stated.

"Correct." Sid turned Nichole's head. He pointed to the deep gash in her skull, "COD is blunt force trauma. Your killer smashed something over her head, causing a comminuted fracture. Several pieces of her skull were then driving into her brain."

"Can you give us any idea of what could cause this kind of damage?" Mac asked.

Sid shrugged, "With the right amount of force, virtually anything could do this."

"What about defensive wounds?" Danny asked.

Sid held up his finger, "Now, that, I did find. And a lot of them." He held up the girls hands. They were covered in small cuts. "Young Nichole definitely put up a fight. Bruising on her wrist, though, indicates that someone held her wrists very tightly. I also found blood under her fingernails, I sent up to trace."

"Lindsay found blood on the fence. Could the force of the fence cause this to Nichole's skull?" Mac asked.

Sid leaned of the table pondering. He shook his head. "I don't think so. If you're speaking of a chain-link, no. I didn't find any pointed origin in her skull. The weapon was defiantly blunt. Maybe a pipe or a bat?"

Mac nodded, "Anything else?"

"Yes, actually I did. Help me roll her over." Sid said. Danny reached out and helped lift Nichole onto her side. "I found these very interesting tattoos on her back."

Nichole had three tattoos on her back. One on each side of her shoulder and a lower back one. The right side was a red rose with black borders. The left was a blue lilac with black borders. The lower back tattoo had three tiny purple flowers with a black border. Each one had a name tattooed over the flower in a similar color to the flower.

"This girl had a serious crush on this 'Duke'. From what I can tell, they're all from the same artist." Sid explained.

"Alright. Thanks Sid." Mac replied. They turned to leave autopsy. "I want you two sifting through Nichole's belongings and clothes. Maybe our killer left something behind."

"You got it Mac." Danny said.

"I'll work on the paper and join you later." Lindsay said. She ventured off ahead of them.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lindsay sat in the lab. She carefully unfolded the paper. The color was all smeared together and blurry. Lindsay placed it in one of the scanners and uploaded the photo. The image appeared on the screen in front of Lindsay. Lindsay typed in several codes and watched the screen adjust the photo. The color began reverting to normal. The paper was actually a cover. A CD cover, to be exact. Black lettering began forming on the cover. Lindsay's eyes widened as she read the result; Duke. She printed off a copy and moved to the next computer. She typed up, Duke, and waited for results. Lindsay scrolled down the results and found one that sounded promising. The screen opened up with a young woman and her metallic blue guitar. She had bright blonde hair with colored streaks. Lindsay gasped and printed off her results. She hurried from the lab toward Trace.

Danny and Mac were still sorting through Lindsay burst through the doors holding both results. "You'll never guess who Duke is."

"Her boyfriend?" Danny asked.

Lindsay shook her head. She handed the first results of the CD to Mac. "Duke is a singer."

"So Nichole's really into this _Duke_ guy's music." Danny shrugged.

"Nichole **is** Duke." Lindsay she handed the second sheet to Mac. Danny's head shot up. He moved to Mac's side to see the results.

"That would explain the tattoos. She gets a new one with more success on her albums." Mac said.

"But why would she be clutching her own album cover?" Danny asked.

"Maybe someone didn't like her music?" Lindsay suggested.

Mac nodded. "Lindsay, keep working the music lead. Interview her mother and coworkers; see what you can find out about her music career."

"You got it." Lindsay said. She turned and walked out of the lab.

Mac looked back to Danny. "You find anything yet?"

Danny held up his finger. He walked to where he had been worker before Lindsay had entered. He picked up the silver chain. "Someone definitely loved Nichole. This is a diamond engagement ring that cost well over five grand."

"Boyfriend?"

"Or obsessive fan." Danny shrugged. "I got a print off the ring. We'll find out soon enough."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

okay...are we bored yet? hopefully not!!


	3. Chapter 3

Lindsay sat in the lobby of the preschool. Across from her was Leann, one of the cleaning girls. She had long brown hair, braided into an intricate bun. She clutched a tissue in her hands, frequently dabbing her eyes.

"I just can't believe someone would do that to Nicky." LeAnn sobbed.

"How long have you known Nichole?" Lindsay asked.

Leann gave a weak laugh, "Forever. We went to high school together, and before that, we were in the same church. She's such a sweet girl, I-I just don't get it."

"Do you know if she was having any problems at school?" Lindsay asked.

"No. She always mentions her problems at some point." Leann answered.

"What about her music?" Lindsay pulled out the photos of the tattoos.

Leann took the photos and smiled, "Duke was her stage named. She said it just felt right to that. I never understood it, but it totally fit her." She handed the photo back. "Every time her manager called her and wanted to get another album out, Nicky celebrated by getting another tattoo. Each one's the same design on the album. Her fourth one was supposed to come out next week. We were going together to get her fourth tattoo."

Lindsay nodded. "Do you know what this one was going to be?"

"Nicky said this one was going to be special. She made a contract with the studio to do four albums. They want more, but Nicky said four was perfect for her. She was planning on getting an angel with tons of flowers surrounding it. And there would be a banner saying Duke on it." Leann explained. She wiped her eyes again.

"Did Nichole have a boyfriend?" Lindsay asked.

Leann looked up, almost scared. She nodded slowly. "They…they broke up recently."

"What happened between them?"

Leann shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure. One day, Nicky came in so excited that she was with someone…and the next she was raging fury. Something about him being in a gang."

Lindsay furrowed her brows, "Nichole hated gangs?"

"Her brother died in a drive by gang shooting. He was walking home from the store and he died on the street." Leann explained.

Lindsay nodded. "Can you give me his name?"

"Uh...sorry. I…don't remember his name. Except it starts with an 'S'." Leann said.

"Thank you for your time, Leann. If you can think of anything else that can help us, please call me." Lindsay said,

Leann nodded and took the card. "Did…did you find her ring?"

"What ring?" Lindsay asked. She didn't want to give away evidence.

"The engagement ring? After she broke up with the gang boy, she met someone knew. He proposed to her over the weekend. Was it with her when…?"

"Yes. It was with her." Lindsay answered. She stood up and walked to the door.

"The angel Nicky was going to get…it was going to look like her fiancé. He loved her music so much." Leann said.

Lindsay slowly walked out of the school. She sighed heavily into the cold air. Leann had filled in much of the pieces, but there was more to be done.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Danny was still in trace. The results on the blood Sid had found under the Nichole's nails were due back any minute. Meanwhile, Danny was making another round on the clothes. He had found a partial print on the ring and was waiting for those results as well. There were multiple bloodstains, but so far, they had all come back to the vic. And without a reference sample to test against, any other samples were a mystery.

"Detective Messer, the results." Said a lab tech.

"Thanks." Danny said. He took the results and looked them over. He froze. This couldn't be right. He checked it again, but everything was adding up. Mac needed to see it now.

Danny stood from the table and rushed into the hall. He glanced into each lab room, hoping he would find Mac in one of them. Mac was in his office, talking with Lindsay. Danny burst into the office without knocking. Lindsay was halfway finished with her sentence.

"…couldn't give me a name, but she was sure he was in a gang." Lindsay said.

"I can probably give to the boyfriends' name and I can definitely give you the gang." Danny said. he set the results down on the desk. "The partial, we pulled from the ring came back to an old friend. The blood didn't come back to a direct match, but it had common alleles with another."

"What's the gang?" Lindsay asked.

Mac read over the results. He looked up at Danny with the exact reaction Danny had. "This can't be right."

Danny shrugged. "That's what I thought. But it would start to make sense."

"What's going on?" Lindsay asked.

"Nichole's ex boyfriend…guess what gang he's affiliated with." Danny said. Lindsay was silent. "I'll give ya a hint; it starts with a 'T'."

Lindsay's eyes widened. "Tanglewood boys? Are you serious?"

"Completely." Mac said. He stood up with the results. "And things just got a lot more dangerous."

"What do we do?" Lindsay asked. She didn't let the fear she felt, filter into her voice. She needed to be brave in this case. But after all that had resulted with the last Tanglewood situation, Danny had been crushed. Bringing on another confrontation with the Tanglewood boys was deadly business.

"Danny and I will pay our Tanglewood friends a visit. Go to trace. Maybe you can find something we're all missing." Mac said.

Lindsay smirked; her reputation for detail was always appreciated in the lab. "Be careful."

"I'll meet you at the car, Mac." Danny said. Mac nodded, filing the evidence they had gathered so far. Lindsay followed Danny out of the office. They walked side by side to their office. Danny pulled his coat off the back of his chair and pulled it on.

Lindsay walked in front of him and fixed his collar. She paused, staring up at his face. Lindsay lifted her chin and kissed Danny. She felt Danny wrap his arms around her.

"What was that for?" Danny asked. He was giving her his famous smirk.

Lindsay smiled, "Just a reminder so you keep cautious."

Danny rubbed her back, "I'll be fine, Linds. I can keep my cool."

"You better, cowboy.' Lindsay said.

Danny kissed Lindsay again and released her. "I'll be back before you know it, Montana."

Lindsay watched Danny exit the office and head down to the elevator. She turned to her computer and brought up an internet search.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

and...enter our villians. yeah...nothing much to say except....

I OWN NOTHING! oh but one day!!


	4. Chapter 4

Danny and Mac pulled up to an old brick building. A large glass window gave perfect access to the inside of the building. Danny scanned the white lettering on the window.

Hey Mac, check out the name." Danny said.

"Tangle Records." Mac stated.

"Nichole was involved with a gang and she didn't even know it." Danny said. He opened the door and exited the car.

Mac exited the car and led the way into the building. He looked briefly at Danny, "I want you to keep your cool, Danny. Things start getting heated between you and them, you're out. Understood?"

"Sure thing Mac." Danny said.

They entered the building with caution. The lights were dim, butt he reflection of the snow gave better light. Men were seated through the building at small round tables. The building looked more like a coffee shop than a recording studio.

A tall man stepped out from the hallway. His hair was black, slicked back. "Can I help you?"

Mac nodded, "Got a music question for you."

The man shrugged, "Shoot."

"You sell any albums by an artist named 'Duke'?" Danny asked.

The man's eyes seemed to light up. "Duke? Yeah we sell all his albums. Follow me."

Mac and Danny followed the man into the back of the building. They walked through a blue beaded door into an intensely decorated room. The walls were covered in posters of Nichole's album artwork. There were several images or her tattoos and shelves of her CD. Most of them were bare with few copies of each album.

"Looks like you need to restock." Mac said.

"You got that right. Duke's made this place so much money since he signed with us. It's gonna be a same he leaves." he said.

"You ever meet Duke?" Mac asked.

He shook his head, "Nah, I don't work in the studio. I just sell his stuff."

"We need to speak with her manager and see her studio." Danny said.

The man looked between Mac and Danny. "I can't do that unless-"

Mac pulled out his badge. The man shut up instantly. "Where can we find the studio?"

"This way." He said. He led them out of the room. They continued down the hall to a black door. He opened it, revealing the studio. Three people were already occupying it.

"Sonny Sassone." Mac said.

One of the men turned around. He smirked at Mac, "Detective Taylor. You know this could be filed as harassment. You comin' to see me after I get released."

"It could be, if I'd known you'd been released." Mac replied.

"So what can I do for you?" Sonny asked.

"Nichole Burgavin." Mac stated.

"Never heard a her." Sonny said.

Danny pulled out the album artwork and a photo of Nichole. "Try again, Sonny. Maybe you'll recognize her stage name, 'Duke'? Ringin' any bells?"

Sonny looked at the pictures.

"You know her, you were her record label." Mac said.

Sonny nodded, "Yeah, I was her record label. What's your point?"

"Nichole's dead." Danny said.

Sonny's eyebrows shot up. "No way. When?"

"This morning. Someone came into her work and murdered her." Mac explained.

Sonny seemed speechless. Then he shook his head, "And you think I had something' to do with her death? The last two you nailed me on, you got me fair and square, but after that…I gave up. I didn' wan to deal with you guys no more, so I turned over a new leaf. Even had the out date on my tat to prove it to the boys."

"You expect us to believe that?" Mac asked

"Look, Nichole was a sweet girl. She had tons a potential in this world, let alone the business. That girl's made a fortune already. I got no reason to want her dead." Sonny explained.

"Except that she found out you were a gang member and she didn like it. So she dumped you." Danny said.

"That's a load a crap. I never dated Nichole. Not that I wouldn't want to, she's got spunk. Just a little too young for me." Sonny explained.

"Then who was Nichole datin'? You still got ties to the Tanglewood Boys. We know she was datin' one of 'em. Which one?" Danny asked.

Sonny looked between Mac and Danny, "She was datin' my cousin, Serjio. Things didn't turn out right with them and she dumped him. I wasn' mad with Nichole over it either, Serjio isn't a favorite cousin of mine."

"Where can we find him?" Mac asked.

Sonny pointed out into the recording booth, "He's right there."

Danny looked through the window. Serjio stood towering over a girl, Nichole's height. His arms were scratched up badly.

"Hey look, Nichole was more family to me than anybody else. She put everyone's needs above her own. I got nothin' to hide. That girl even sent me a weddin' invite. If there's anythin' I can help with. Just let me know." Sonny offered.

"Can you tell us what your print was doing on her engagement ring?" Mac asked.

"Sure thing. She came in a couple days ago high as heaven. Told me she was getting' married. I asked if I could see the ring." Sonny whistled, "And what a ring. That guy went all out on her. And-"

"Yeah, yeah, we get it. Bring in Serjio." Danny said.

Sonny tapped on the glass. Serjio looked up. He pulled off the headphones and stepped out of the booth, "What's goin' on Sonny?"

Mac pulled out his badge. "We've got some questions about your relationship with Nichole Burgavin."

"Never heard a her." Serjio said.

Danny laughed and shook his head, "Try again, scum bag."

"Maybe you know her better as Duke? You know? Your ex-girlfriend who dumped you for being a Tanglewood." Mac said.

Serjio raised his head, "Oh, that bitch. What about her?"

"She's dead." Danny said.

Serjio shrugged, "Big deal."

"Emotional aren't you?" Danny asked.

"Hey, that bitch dumped me. You think I'm goin' to care about her after that?" Serjio stated. He folded his arms in front of his chest. Danny caught sight of more scratches.

"I think you found out she was gettin' married, got pissed, and went to straighten things out. That's when you bashed her head in." Danny said.

"Ya know, just cause you got a personal problem with the Tanglewood, don' give you the right to accuse me a murder." Serjio said.

Mac stepped in between them. "Then why don't you start with when you last saw Nichole."

Serjio looked at Mac and stepped back. "Two nights ago. She came in with her new album cover. She came in, dropped it off, went to talk to Sonny, and left. I didn' talk to her, I didn' wanna have anythin' to do with the bitch."

Mac eyed the scratches on Serjio. "What happen to your arms?"

"My lousy cat attacked me." Serjio answered.

"We're going to need a sample of your DNA." Mac said.

"You got a warrant?" Serjio asked. He smiled when Mac and Danny said nothing. "then come back when you got one. Otherwise, leave."

Danny shook his head and turned. "Tanglewood punk." he whispered.

"Hey Messer." Danny turned. "I heard you got married. From what I hear, she's pretty and so's your kid. I'd hate to hear somethin' happened to 'em."

Danny snapped. He moved forward quickly. Mac stepped in front of him, holding his shoulders. "If you ever come near my family, so help me god, I'll kill you!"

"Danny outside now!" Mac order. He pushed Danny back toward the door. Danny threw it opened and left the room. Mac turned around and faced Serjio. He pointed his finger at Serjio, "If you ever threaten my team again, I will make it my personal business to have you ass."

"Big words, Detective." Serjio said.

Mac turned and exited the room. He walked down the hall. Danny was standing in Duke's album room. Mac stepped into the room, watching Danny. "I thought I told you to get outside?"

Danny nodded, "I know. I'm sorry I crack. I was headin' out when I saw something'."

Mac walked next to Danny. Danny was holding a CD missing a part of its cover. "Let's go."

They turned and walked down the hallway to the front desk. Danny paid for the CD and left after Mac. Danny climbed into the car and examined the CD cover further.

"So whadya think? Serjio and Sonny telling' the truth?" Danny asked.

"I think Sonny's telling more of the truth than Serjio is." Mac said. He started the car and drove back to the lab.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

never thought you see Sonny again did ya?

i own nothing!


	5. Chapter 5

Lindsay sat in the car parked outside a music store. She had her cell phone to her ear. "No, Camille it's ok, I'll pick up Lucas after my shift. You don't need to watch Lucas longer than we asked."

"_Oh I don' mind. I enjoy watchin' him." _Camille said.

"You're sure you don't mind? I don't to be keeping you form your plans." Lindsay replied.

Camille laughed, _"Lindsay, believe me. I have nothin' more important than my grandbaby. You just keep workin' hard and stop by when you're done."_

"Thank you so much, Camille." Lindsay said.

"_It's not trouble Linds. I'll see you when you get off honey."_ Camille said. _"Uh oh, Lucas woke up. Call me when you get off. I'll have him ready to go by the time you get here."_

"Alright. I will. Bye Camille." Lindsay.

"_Bye Lindsay." _Camille hung up.

Lindsay slid her phone down and smiled. She always enjoyed talking with Danny's mother. Danny was so unlike his mother, but at the same time, a lot like her as well. He obviously didn't call her as much as Camille hoped. Lindsay did most of that, but Danny gave them a lot to talk about. Danny would often step out of the room whenever Lindsay was talking with his mother, just to save himself the embarrassment for later.

Lindsay looked up at the building. It had been record company that Nichole was using. From what Lindsay had heard from her music, Nichole was more toward instrumental, but she dabbled in several lyrical songs as well. Her fourth album would be the one that broke the ice for her, really revealing that she was a girl.

Lindsay opened the door and stepped into the snow. She walked across the street to the building. Inside was more like a coffee shop. Not that Lindsay minded; she'd been needing coffee all morning.

A greasy black haired man stepped behind the counter. "Can I help you?"

"Do you sell any albums by 'Duke'?" Lindsay asked.

The man smiled. "you bet. This way."

Lindsay followed the man down a hallway. She walked through a beaded door into a Duke decorated room. The shelves were practically bare except for a few version of each album.

"Just take your time and come to the front when you're ready to check out." he said.

"Thanks." Lindsay replied. He stepped out and let Lindsay look around. Lindsay picked up a copy of each album. Maybe there was something in them that could help. Then she caught sight of a fourth album. Lindsay picked it up, examining it. There were only three tracks on it, a demo version of the next album. The cover was of an angel surrounded by music and flowers. 'Duke' was printed in front of the angel.

Lindsay exited the room and headed for the front desk. The man was waiting for her. He smiled as he rang up each CD. "You a fan of Duke?"

"She's pretty good." Lindsay said.

"She? Duke's really a chick?" he asked.

Lindsay looked up, "You didn't know? You never checked out the website?"

The man shook his head. "No. The website wasn't supposed to be up for another month. I just thought with the name…wow…a chick. Damn she's amazing. Here you go."

Lindsay took the bag. "Thanks." She caught some suspicious eyes watch her as she left the store. Lindsay hurried across the street and climbed into the car. She locked the doors and started it up. Lindsay opened the fourth album and put it into the CD player of the car. The music starts soft and slow. Then Nichole's voice came on. Lindsay took out the cover, reading over the lyrics. Her eyes scanned over the words in terror.

She pulled out her phone and dialed Mac's number. She automatically went to voice message. "Mac it's Lindsay. I think I just found our motive to Nichole's murder. She learned the Tanglewood secrets and used them as her songs. Nichole had to be silenced. I'm on my way back into the office with-"

Suddenly her window shattered. Lindsay dropped her phone and screamed. A man stood at her window, reaching inside for Lindsay. Lindsay put her car into gear and hit the gas. The man pulled back as Lindsay drove off. Lindsay looked behind her, not seeing the man that had broken her window. Then he appeared at her side and grabbed the wheel. Lindsay fought for control over the car. He held onto the roof of her car and the wheel, jerking it heavily whenever he could.

The car hit black ice, losing all steering control. The man released Lindsay's wheel and jumped off her car. Lindsay braced herself as the car skid along the ice. The car skid to on side, heading right into a building. The car collided with the passenger side of the car. The glass shattered instantly, breaking out toward Lindsay. Lindsay leaned against the door of the car. Her head ached badly. She could feel the wet feeling running down her head.

Lindsay unbuckled herself and climbed out of her car. She gently touched her head. She winced as it stung with pain. She wiped the blood on her pants and looked back at her car.

"Are you alright?" Lindsay turned. A woman had stepped out of her car and was making her way toward Lindsay.

"Yes. Uh... Can you call the police for me?" Lindsay asked

"Of course." The woman pulled out her phone. Two seconds later she jerked as gun shots echoed into the cold air.

Lindsay jumped, screaming. The woman dropped her phone ad fell onto the slick ground. Lindsay looked around, seeing the man that had caused her to crash. He aimed the gun at Lindsay and fire. Lindsay ducked and took off running down a nearby alley. She could hear continuing gunfire behind her and occasionally felt the wind cut close to her.

Lindsay pulled out her gun as she ran and returned fire. She slipped on the ice and hit the ground. Lindsay turned around, aiming her gun. There was no one behind her, but that didn't mean they weren't there. Lindsay slowly got to her feet, keeping her attention all around her.

She turned slowly, bumping into one of the men she saw in the shop. He grabbed her wrist and wrestled the gun out of her hands. Lindsay fought back as best she could. But the man held her wrist firmly. He turned her around, watching the man who caused her to crash walk toward her.

"So, who's our spy?" he asked.

Someone walked up behind the man. "Lindsay Monroe. New York CSI. She must work with Messer and Taylor."

The man held out his hand. He flipped through Lindsay wallet and purse. "No, it's not Monroe anymore. I do believe this would be Lindsay Messer. Young Daniels new wife. Just look at her boys, definitely gorgeous, don't you think?"

The men laughed. Lindsay swallowed fearfully. She was in a lot of trouble now.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

yeah...ya had to see this coming. i never leave Lindsay alone.

i own nothing.


	6. Chapter 6

Mac and Danny were in the lab, working on CD case without a cover. They had pulled several prints and were running them through AFIS and CODIS. Stella walked into the lab as the results came up.

"Hey, have either of you seen Lindsay?" she asked.

Mac shook his head, "Not for some time."

"I called her cell and she's not picking up." Stella asked.

Danny lifted his read. He pulled out his cell. He had no messages or missed calls. "You don't think she's in trouble, do you?"

Mac pulled out his phone. He had one missed call. He opened his phone and listened to the message left on his phone. _"Mac it's Lindsay. I think I just found our motive to Nichole's murder. She learned the Tanglewood secrets and used them as her songs. Nichole had to be silenced. I'm on my way back into the office with-"_

Suddenly Lindsay screamed. Mac could hear glass shattering and the car speeding off. Then the call ended abruptly. He shut his phone quickly. "Lindsay's in trouble."

Danny bolted form his seat toward the elevator. The doors opened and Flack stepped out. He nearly ran into Danny, if Danny hadn't slowed down. Mac and Stella were following close behind Danny.

"What's goin' on?" Flack asked.

"Lindsay's not picking up her phone." Mac said. "What do you have?"

"I got a 911 call about ten minutes ago. Before we could even get the situation the receiver picked up gunshots. Get this; it happened two blocks from that record studio." Flack said.

"Who're involved?" Stella asked.

"I don't know yet. So far, we've got two females. That's it." Flack explained. "They're on their way to the hospital now."

Danny listened anxiously. He couldn't image Lindsay going into that studio where someone had threatened her life to Danny. He prayed that Lindsay was all right.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They entered the ER of the hospital, immediately going to the front desk. Flack pulled out his badge as the receptionist looked. "Two women were found on the street and in an alley. Did they come in yet?"

The woman nodded at the door. "The first ones just coming in. Apparently one of the woman was shot; her cell phone was in her hand when EMS arrived. The second was beaten and left in the alley."

The paramedic wheeled in a woman with long blond air. She held a gun shot wound to the upper chest that was severely bleeding out. They had placed a tube in her throat and bagged her. It didn't look like she was going to survive.

"what about the second woman?" Mac asked.

"Um…she's coming in right now." she looked up.

The doors opened again and a second gurney made its way through the ER. Among the paramedics and doctors, Danny caught a good long look at the second woman on the gurney. In one split second…his entire world shattered into thousands of pieces. The air in his lungs vanished, leaving him breathless and scared. His movements seemed sluggish and disoriented, racing toward the new gurney. Blood covered a good portion of her face. A tube was already settled in her throat to aid her breathing. Several limbs had already been splinted together fro transport.

"LINDSAY!" he yelled.

Everyone turned. Lindsay was rushed past them, beaten beyond belief. Danny followed behind them, desperately wanting to see her. Mac raced after Danny, holding him back.

"Oh god, Lindsay!" Danny yelled.

"Danny let them do their job." Mac said.

Danny fought against Mac, and Mac knew it. Hell, he was having a hard time himself staying focus. Lindsay was more than a coworker. She was like a daughter to him. And some basterd beat her. He could only imagine what Danny was going through now. To have Lindsay rushed past him; in a state similar to his brother…it had to be heart shattering.

"Flack." Mac called.

Flack hurried over and helped Mac restrain Danny. "Easy, Danny. They'll take care of her."

Danny dropped to his knees. He broke down right there. Tear rolled down in face despite his attempts to stay calm. "God no!"

Mac turned to Flack. "Keep an eye on Danny. Don't let him go anywhere alone."

"You got it." Flack said.

Mac stood and walked toward the exit. "Mac, where're are you going?"

Mac turned, "Pay a little visit to Tangle Records."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

um...don't kill me...i need drama.

i own nothing


	7. Chapter 7

Danny watched through the window of Lindsay's room. She was stable for the moment and the team was beginning to process. Stella was gathering DNA from Lindsay's nails and wounds. One of the nurses was about to begin the rape test kit. His stomach churned at the disgusting thought that someone had done that to her. His hand balled into a fist and he brought it up next to his head. The drapes around Lindsay bed closed and he lowered his head. He turned around, leaning against the wall and window.

To say Lindsay was lucky to be alive was the biggest understatement ever. Four broken ribs, shattered collarbone, fractured tibia, multiple head contusions, and the list goes on. Not to mention internal injuries. Danny grew sick just contemplating it all. He clenched his fist tighter, digging his nails into his palm.

"How're you holdin' up, Dan?" Flack asked.

Danny looked up from the floor. Flack had stuck around since Mac left. He knew it was to make sure he didn't go after the Tanglewood boys alone. Danny shook his head, "I don' know man. I feel useless out here."

Flack gave Danny's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I know what ya mean. But trust me, the basterds that did this to Linds, they're not only goin' to rot in hell, but we'll make sure the rest of their lives are hell, before they go down."

Danny looked back into Lindsay room. Stella came from around the curtain, carrying her kit. She walked out of the room and quietly closed the door. Flack turned to face her.

"How bad's it looking?" Flack asked.

Stella diverted her eyes and swallowed. Danny sighed and leaned his head against the glass. "She's pretty bad, Flack."

"Basterds." Flack hissed.

"You got that right. I'm heading back to the lab to process. I'll call if I find anything out." Stella said.

Danny nodded.

"Call if anything chances." Stella said.

"You got it, Stell." Flack replied.

Danny heard Stella walk down the hall toward the exit. Through the window, he could see Lindsay's ventilator. Right now, it was the only thing that was keeping his world alive at the moment. The constant beeping of her heart rate was the only knowledge that proved Lindsay was still alive. His vision blurred with painful tears. Danny quickly wiped them away before Flack could see them.

"I uh…I gotta…I gotta go make a call Flack." Danny said. He pushed himself off the window and fished in his pocket for his phone.

"You're not goin' alone, Dan." Flack replied.

Danny started walking down the hall, "I stay in your sight." He opened his phone and started dialing. He got the dial tone instantly and waited for the other end.

"_Hello?"_ came a gruff voice.

"Hey pop's, it's me, Danny." Danny said.

"_Off work and on your way?"_ his father asked.

Danny swallowed hard, "No, dad. Somethin'…somethin' came up and…Linds…Lindsay got hurt."

"_Oh my god."_

"She's down at General and she's stable, but there's…the doctor's…" Danny could say it. More tears fell down his face.

"_We're on our way, Danny. Just stay there and stay strong."_ he said. The call ended then.

Danny shut his phone and placed it back into his pocket. He pulled off his glasses and wiped his eyes clean of tears. He slipped his glasses back on and walked toward Lindsay's room again. Flack was watching him like a hawk, which was good for Danny.

The nurse walked out of Lindsay room, carrying her chart. Danny turned to look at the nurse, "When can someone be with her?"

"You can go in now, but only one person at a time." she replied.

"Thank you." Danny said. He watched the nurse walk away before he entered the room. Each step he took felt heavy and slow. He wanted to run to her side, to hold her in his arms, kiss her sweetly, and pray this had been a nightmare. Her heart beat in a safe, constant rhythm.

Danny sat in the chair near Lindsay's bed. He gently took her bandaged hand in his and held it. "Hey Montana, it's Dan. If uh…if you can hear me…you're in the hospital. They found you…in an alley…near where you crashed your car. I wish you could tell us who did this to you. The doc's are sayin' you're no better than Louie was when he came."

Danny paused, unsure if he could continue without breaking. He brought his other hand to Lindsay's and rubbed her hand gently. "Lucas is on his with my folks. They're pretty worried about you. Everyone is. They're all workin' hard to find the guys, Lindsay. I feel so useless. I can't help them and I can't help you. I got you into the Tanglewood boys and I shouldn't have done it." Danny paused again. Several tears ran down his face, but he'd given up on them now. "I can't live with myself if I lose you, Lindsay. You gotta fight. Fight hard, like we all know you can."

Suddenly someone tapped on the glass frantically. Danny turned his head. Flack held his phone to his ear and waved Danny out. He seemed worried.

"I'll be back, babe. I love you." Danny said. He squeezed her hand one last time and left the room. Flack was ready to pounce him as soon as Danny had cleared the door. "What's goin' on?"

"9-1-1 just got a call about a drive by shooting." Flack said. He closed his phone.

Danny felt the despair coming on. "Who was it, Flack?"

"You're parents." Flack answered.

Danny dropped his head. His hands balled into tight fists.

"There're alright. You're dad was hit in the arm, but he'll live. You ma and Lucas are fine. They're on their way right now." Flack explained.

Danny brought up his head and nodded slowly. His nails were digging deeply into his palms, cutting them up. "They say who did it?"

Flack didn't reply. Danny met Flack's unsure eyes. Danny returned them with fury. Flack nodded slowly. "They recognized a few Tanglewood boys."

Danny leaned against the wall before he didn't something stupid. "Those son's of-"

"I've sent a few cars over to their last known location. They're not getting away form us, Dan."

Danny nodded slowly.

Flack's phone rang again. He pulled it out of his pocket and flipped it open. "Detective Flack."

Danny could hear a female voice on the other end. Stella probably. He watched Flack as their conversation took off. Flack's face shifted around. Disgust, fury, anger, murder. Danny could only imagine what Stella was telling him, but he didn't feel like asking for real. He didn't trust himself if he knew the truth.

"You're sure Stell?" Flack asked. His lips were pressed together in anger as he listened to her answer. Flack nodded. "Thanks for letting' me know. I'll get working on the court order." he hung up his phone and slipped it back into his pocket.

Danny turned around and looked back into Lindsay's room. He watched the ventilator give her oxygen. He sensed Flack grow closer to the window, watching her as well. From behind, Danny's gaze was broken by a small child's cry. Danny turned around to see his mother and son coming down the hall.

"Ma!" Danny called.

His mother saw him and hurried to her son. "Danny!"

Danny hugged his mother tightly. He took Lucas into his arms and held him. "Are you alright?"

Camille nodded. "Yes, thank god. You're father's downstairs runin' his mouth at the doctors. How's Lindsay doing?"

"Not too good, ma." Danny answered.

Camille rubbed Danny's arm. "She'll pull through, Danny."

Danny said nothing. He looked back at Lindsay's window. She looked defenseless and brittle. Bruised skin that had only been flawless to this point. A spirit that couldn't be diminished by any force on earth. Her eyes were once a deep chocolate that he could always drink in. He longed to see her eyes gazing back at him. He wanted to hear her melodious voice. Out of everything he was missing about Lindsay at the moment, he just wanted her safe. To breathe on her own. Anything that could show him she would be alright.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i own nothing.

um...not much else to say really.


	8. Chapter 8

Mac pulled up to the record store. The lights were off and the window in front of the store held up a closed sign. Mac turned off the engine and climbed out of the car. His hand moved down to his gun as he neared the door. He gripped the handle and pulled it. The door remained shut, locked up for the night. Mac pulled out his phone and dialed the store's number. He could hear the phone ring from inside the store. He watched through the glass door as the hallway light to life.

A shadowy figure appeared in the hall. They walked toward the front desk, without a glance toward Mac. They picked up the phone and brought it up to their head. _"Tangle Records."_

"NYPD, open your door." Mac ordered. He tapped on the glass.

The man turned to the door. He set the phone down and headed to the door. Mac watched as his hands fumbled the locks on the door. Mac pulled open the door and entered the store.

"What can I do for you, detective?" he asked.

"Where's Serjio?" Mac asked.

"Man I dunno. Another a young woman showed up here a few hours ago and Serjio got all pissy and left. He came back and a few hours later, more cops showed up and took him away. Haven't seen him since." he explained.

Mac looked around the store. "You got any security cameras?"

"Yeah. In the front, back room, and studio." he answered.

"I want the tapes, now." Mac ordered.

He nodded. "Give me a few minutes."

Mac waited in the front of the store. He watched the man leave into the back. Suddenly his phone began ringing in his pocket. Mac lifted it out of his pocket and accepted the call. "Taylor."

"_Mac it's Stella. The results from Lindsay kit came back." _Stella explained.

Mac felt his stomach churn. "And?"

"_It was positive. We have DNA, and we've confirmed it's the same DNA under Nichole's nails." _Stella answered.

Mac sighed. "Is there anything that can place Serjio at the scene?"

"_Nothing that we can compare to. I've called Flack already and he's working out a court order. We should have his DNA in a few hours." _Stella explained.

Mac looked up as the worker returned with the tapes. "Stella, I'm heading back in with security tapes form the studio. Have Adam ready in the lab to process them."

"_Understood Mac. I'll see you when you arrive." _Stella replied.

Mac hung up his call and placed the phone into his pocket.

"These are the tapes from today alone. Do you need a specific date?" he asked.

"No. These will do just fine." Mac said. He took the tapes and exited the store.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mac walked into the lab carrying the tapes. HE marched directly to Adam's tech lab, bursting through the doors. "Adam, process these tapes. I want to know when Lindsay entered and exited the store and very moment Serjio's on and off camera. Give me something that can put him at Lindsay's crime scene."

Adam nodded, "You got it, Mac."

Mac left the lab quickly and headed to his office. Stella looked up at he passed by and rushed after him. "Mac, hold up!"

Mac paused briefly, giving Stella the moment to catch up to him. "Any update on Lindsay's condition?"

"She's still comatose. And we've got a third crime scene, Mac. Danny's parents were shot at on their way to the hospital." Stella explained.

"What?"

"They've got a confirmed identification report that it was the Tanglewood Boys. We also found the weapon that could've possibly been used to beat Lindsay. A steal pipe." Stella explained.

"Whose leading the arrest for them?" Mac asked.

Stella shrugged. "I haven't gotten a name yet. Personally I don't trust anyone other than Flack or Angell to nail these basterds."

"Flack's still at the hospital. We can only pray that Angell's not on any case at the moment." Mac replied.

Sheldon rounded the corner of the lab. "There you are!"

"What's going on, Hawkes?" Mac asked.

"I've got prints, blood…and DNA." Hawkes stated.

"Whose?" Stella asked.

"Everyone's. Serjio, Nichole's, and Lindsay's blood. Serjio and Lindsay's prints. And several unknown males on it as well. I've even got a set from two teachers at the preschool where Nichole's body was found." Hawkes explained.

"Which means what, exactly?" Stella asked.

Hawkes stopped. "My guess, new play toys at the preschool. I saw piles of the pipe in a container in the photos from Nichole's crime scene. Serjio probably grabbed it and used it to bludgeon her with it. He tried the same thing to Lindsay, only Lindsay fought back. Harder that Nichole could, because there's epithelia and hairs on one end of the pipe. Lindsay used excessive force to fight these guys back. Which means that one Tanglewood boy, is bleeding from a severe contusion."

Mac picked up his pace, heading for the elevator. Stella hurried right behind him. "Which gives us our murderer. We have to find Serjio."

Stella entered the4 elevator after Mac and shoved the button down. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Flack's number. "I'll have Flack meet us at the precinct to help coordinate the search."

"Try Angell as well. Maybe she can keep an eye on Danny too." Mac said. He couldn't afford to have Danny search for Serjio on his own. Knowing Danny's short temper, he'd get himself into a ditch that would cost him everything.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

yes!! we have our evidence and hte suspect!!!


	9. Chapter 9

Danny leaned against the wall of the hospital. Flack had told him to go get some air. Since his mother was watching over Lindsay and his father was watching Lucas, Danny didn't have an excuse not to do what Flack said. He felt like he was betraying Lindsay, walking around the hospital grounds while she was lying unconscious above him. Danny sighed deeply.

"Has Detective Bonaseara contacted you?" asked a voice. Danny recognized it as Lindsay doctor. He peeked around the corner. Flack and the doctor were standing out in front of the doors of the hospital.

"She has. She's notified us of the rape kits positive results and we've adjusted Detective Monroe's treatment." he explained. "Any further discoveries during her recover will be reported to yourself or the other detective."

Flack nodded. "Thanks doc. Listen, I've been notified that Detective Monroe fought back with extreme force. It's possible that someone might come in with a severe head injury. If you get any cases tonight-"

"I'll notify to immediately."

"Good. I'm needed at the precinct and another officer's on the way." Flack explained.

The doctor nodded. "I'll keep you informed of her condition, Detective."

Flack nodded and walked off toward his car. Danny waited until he'd seen Flack leave. His hands had balled into tightly clenched fists. His fists shook with fury, jaw clenched tightly. Danny's entire body shook with fury. Every ounce of restrain Danny had snapped as soon as he heard the words. The Tanglewood boys had crossed the line one too many times and they were going to pay no. The law wasn't going to stop them and it sure as hell wasn't going to stop Danny. Not after what they had done to his family. Danny pushed himself off the wall and ran toward his car. He jerked the door opened and started the engine. He shifted the car and sped out of the parking lot. No one but him knew where to find the Tanglewood boys. When those boys were in hot water, they disappeared until things cooled down. Danny was the only one who knew where that was. This was his fight he had to finish. And he was going to finish it, once and for all.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mac stood in the conference room of the precinct. Several S.W.A.T. units were dressing for their assault. They were going to hit the studio as soon as Flack was ready. Mac strapped the bulletproof vest one and set his weapon in his holster.

Flack came in and headed for Mac as soon as he saw him. "What's the ETA on our hit?"

"Three minutes after arrival." Mac answered.

Stella joined them. Her face held a confused and worried look. "Do either of you know where Danny is?"

Mac looked up, "Danny's supposed to be at the hospital."

"I just got off the phone form Camille. She hasn't seen Danny in almost half in hour." Stella explained.

"I sent him outside to get some air." Flack stated aloud. He groaned realizing his mistake. "Dammit Messer."

Stella and Mac exchanged startling glances. "Mac, if Danny get's to Serjio before we do."

Mac nodded. "Stay with S.W.A.T."

"Where are you going?" Flack asked.

Mac didn't reply. He raced out of the precinct and jumped into the car. He pulled out his cell and started dialing the lab.

"_Ross."_

"Adam, it's Mac. Listen, I need you to locate Danny through his cell. No question, just do it." Mac ordered. He started up the engine and tore out of the precinct parking lot. The sirens blared. Traffic quickly pulled over for him as he drove down the street. "Come on Adam. I need it now!"

"_I'm working on it, Mac. It's triangulating Danny's location right now."_ Adam replied. Mac could hear the computer calculating Danny's location in the background. Suddenly it beeped loudly. _"Alright. Danny's on the west side dock. Pier twenty four."_

"Got it." Mac said. He hung up the phone and redialed.

"_Detective Flack."_

"Flack, I've got Danny's location. Go with S.W.A.T. meet me there." Mac ordered.

"_Got it Mac. Listen, I jus got as call from Lindsay's doctor. They've admitted several people for head injuries. Stella's on her way to the hospital to check them out.""_

"Understood." Mac shut it phone and tossed it into the seat next to him. He drove as fast as he could in the crowded Manhattan streets. Snow had started falling into the night sky, making the streets more hazardous. Mac ignored the falling snow and concentrated on the biggest problem at hand. He knew Danny had a short fuse in general. Threatening his job, his friends, or his family, was a death sentence to everyone. If Danny found Serjio before Flack and S.W.A.T. did, Serjio was as good as dead…and so was Danny. It was obvious that Serjio was more brutal that Sonny, and would surely put up a fight against Danny. This was a lifetime feud…and was coming to a bloody end in front of Mac.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

yeah...never easy is it? you dind't ecpext Danny to stay did you?

i own nothing


	10. Chapter 10

Serjio sat in a warehouse on the docks. A single cigarette burning in his bandaged fingers. He sat relaxed in the warehouse alone. He drew the cigarette to his lips and took in a big shot. A cloud of smoke blew out of his mouth. Serjio looked at his injured hand. He smiled darkly into the air. Detective Monroe had put up quite a fight. She'd managed to break two of his fingers and take a swing at his skull. Lucky for him, Monroe had struck one of the other boys. She continued to fight them, but he had overwhelmed her in the end. Serjio laughed and took another deep puff of his cigarette.

"Somethin' funny, Serjio?" asked a voice.

Serjio dropped his cigarette and turned in his chair. Danny stepped out into the dimly lit warehouse. Serjio's widened eyes relaxed. He smirked at Danny. "Danny Messer. You come to do what the law can't?"

"Somethin' like that." Danny replied.

Serjio was silent for a moment. Never in his life, did he ever think Danny would cross the line. Serjio stood from the table. "So you'll throw everything away for me, huh?"

"The way you punks have been pushin' me, you should be surprised I didn't cross it years ago." Danny replied. He walked further in, slowly.

Serjio nodded. "Very true. I thought for sure you'd go after Sonny when he beat the life outta Louie. But man, the restraint you have when your wife was hospitalized. She musta done something' to ya, cause even Sonny says you changed."

Danny said nothing. He walked closer to Serjio. Serjio pushed the chair out of his way, staring Danny down.

"You mean business Messer." Serjio stated.

"You put my wife in a coma, you tried to kill my parents and my son, and you don' think I mean business?" Danny asked. He swung out quickly and slammed his fist into Serjio's face.

Serjio stumbled to the side and fell to the ground, holding his jaw. He wiped the blood from his lip and smirked. "You're going down Messer." He threw himself into Danny's chest. Both men ended up on the ground. Serjio grabbed Danny's collar and pulled him forward. Serjio punched Danny and pulled his collar again to punch him.

Danny threw a quick punch before Serjio could land another one on him. Serjio fell sideways off Danny. Danny rolled from Serjio and climbed to his knees. Serjio lashed out and kicked Danny in the chest. Danny fell backwards again.

Serjio stood up and walked toward Danny. He lifted his foot and stomped down into Danny's chest. Danny cringe breathlessly in pain. He placed a hand on his chest, trying to get air. "Didn't you learn from your brother, Daniel? You don't pick fights with the Tanglewood boys and win."

Serjio grabbed Danny's collar and hauled him up to his feet. He grabbed the back of Danny's neck and slammed his head into the table. Danny collapsed to his knees. His arms were settled next to his head on the table. "Time to join your brother and wife, Danny."

Serjio grabbed the back of Danny's neck again. Danny lashed back, elbowing Serjio in the stomach. Serjio doubled over his pain. Danny thrashed back again, slamming his fist into Serjio's face. He pushed himself back form the table, sending Serjio to the ground behind him. Danny reached to his holster and pulled out his weapon. "I don' think so, Serjio."

Suddenly Mac burst into the warehouse. He saw Serjio on his knees in front of Danny. Danny held his gun pointed at Serjio's head. If Serjio had any fear in him, he certainly wasn't showing any to Danny. Danny's hand shook holding the gun to Serjio's head.

"Put the gun down Danny!" Mac ordered.

Danny shook his head. "Not this time, Mac. Not this time."

"Killing Serjio won't set things right and you know it! The judge won't be prosecuting him, they'll be prosecuting you! You kill him, you've just thrown everything away!" Mac explained.

"And I can't just let him walk away from this!" Danny replied.

"He can't and he won't. We've got his DNA from Lindsay. We've found the weapon he used to murder Nichole and beat Lindsay. He's not escaping this." Mac said.

Serjio laughed. "That's what you think. The judge will release me on police brutality. I'll be on the streets in hours."

Danny pushed the gun against Serjio's head, "Shut up."

"Danny put the gun down!" Mac ordered.

"I've let them get away with too much Mac! First Louie, then Lindsay, and Lucas. It ends now Mac." Danny explained.

"You pull that trigger, Danny, and you're no better than them." Mac said.

Serjio laughed. "He's a Messer, and they don't think when they're emotional."

"I said shut up!" Danny ordered.

"You wanna know the last thing I told your wife before I left her, I said she didn't deserve it, but she was a Messer." Serjio said. He closed his eyes, waiting for Danny to pull the trigger.

Danny slammed his gun into Serjio's head. Serjio slumped to his side. He shook his head, staring down Danny's gun, "Go to hell."

"I'll save you a seat." Serjio said.

"DANNY NO!!!" Mac yelled.

Danny pulled the trigger. Serjio winced as he heard the echo of an empty gun. He looked up at Danny, who was smirking angrily. He stepped from Serjio and tossed his empty weapon to the ground. "Didn't think I'd really come after you with a loaded gun, did you? You see Serjio, unlike you, I have everything to lose."

Mac stared at Danny. He watched Danny painfully drop to his knees, knowing that he's have to arrest him. Mac moved to Serjio first and slipped the cuffs on his broken wrists. Serjio groaned in pain. "Don't tempt me, Serjio. you've tested your luck enough already."

S.W.A.T. entered the room. Flack followed closely behind them. They stood down as Mac handed off Serjio. Flack pushed ahead of the S.W.A.T. men to Mac, who was starting to cuff Danny. He eased Danny back up to his feet.

"Mac, what the hell just happened?" Flack asked.

"We got lucky." Mac said. He walked passed Flack, leading Danny out of the warehouse. The snow had picked up, sending large flakes to the ground.

Danny's hands were shaking in the cuffs. It took all his concentration to walk straight as Mac led him to the car. Mac opened the door and help Danny into the car. As soon as the door was shut, Danny released a heavy sigh. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the door. Mac climbed into the front seat and started the engine. Danny was grateful to Mac. If it hadn't been for his constant advise and looking after him, Danny might've actually gone there and killed Serjio.

"Mac, I know I screw up tonight." Danny started. He stared out the window as Mac headed for the precinct. "But I'm glad you went to stop me tonight. And if it hadn't been for you pushing me all those years, I would've killed him tonight."

"It wasn't me, Danny. That was Lindsay. She's the one who kept you temper in check." Mac replied.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

yay...lindsay still saves the day.

i own nothing.


	11. Chapter 11

Danny and Mac walked through the hall s of the hospital several days later. Danny had spent two nights in jail for his actions. and he was suspended as well. As terrible as it sounded, Danny was glad. It meant he could spend all his time at the hospital by Lindsay. Even better, Lindsay had been taken off the ventilator, as she had started breathing on her own. She was still in danger, but it was good sign.

They walked through the doors of the hospital and were met by a large group of people. The entire team had been notified of Danny's actions and Lindsay's conditions. When a member wasn't at the hospital, they were at the precinct, keeping and eye on Danny for his safety. They had all scolded him, but they were still supportive of him.

Stella was the first one to greet them. She hugged Danny tightly, patting him on the back. Hawkes came up next. Both had been on each side of the bars. Hawkes gave Danny a sympathetic smile and pat his shoulders. Flack was behind Hawkes. He hugged Danny and let him head to Lindsay's room. His parents were seated outside her room. They looked up as Danny reached the door.

Inside Lindsay room, Danny could see Lindsay's parents. Mac had informed him that they'd arrived yesterday morning. They had gone straight to the hospital and had yet to leave her side. Lucas was settled in Lindsay's mothers, Janice, arms. He was dead asleep.

Danny inhaled deeply and opened the door. Janice and Tyler looked up as they heard the door open. They both stood when they realized it was Danny. Janice managed to hug Danny with Lucas still asleep in her arms. Tyler squeezed his shoulder. They made their way to the door, giving Danny time alone with Lindsay.

After Danny heard the door shut, he took Janice's seat by Lindsay. He took her hand into his and held it gently. His eyes scanned over her face. The tube had been removed from her throat and a smaller breathing tube was set under her nose. Her chest rose and fell with perfect rhythm. The beat of her heart was strong and firm.

"Hey babe. I uh…I'm sorry I haven't talk to ya in a few days. The other's probably told you what I did. But uh…you need to hear it from me." Danny started. He stroked the back of her hand. "I uh…heard Flack talkin' to your doctor and I…I snapped. I went after Serjio…alone. Serjio…he…he knew I was comin' for 'em. Managed to beat the hell outta me too…but I got the drop on 'em. If it hadn't been for you 'n Mac always keepin' my temper down fro the past few years…I woulda gone there with a loaded gun. Mac showed up before Serjio could do anything' else. Then Flack and S.W.A.T. showed up. They took in Serjio and Mac took me in. I only got out today. I've been suspended for three weeks…but that's all. I know you think I'm a moron, Linds, but I…I can't accept what they did to you…and Louie. The only reason they went for you was cause of me. That ain't fair to you."

Danny inhaled deeply. His eyes watered. He gripped Lindsay's hand tighter. "You know, your folks flew over here as soon as they could? They've been by your side since they arrived. And the entire teams waitin' outside with 'em. Everyone's worried about you, but the doctors are saying that since you're breathin' on you own, there's reason to be optimistic." He wiped the tears from his face.

"Keep fightin' Lindsay. Fight. We can't lose you. I can't lose you. You're everything I ever wanted in life. 'N I…I can't do this without you, Lindsay. I need you with me." Tears fell freely from Danny's eyes. He'd given up trying to hold them back. "I love you, Lindsay. Wake up."

Danny lowered his head to the bed. He held Lindsay's hand in both of his as he cried on the bed. He'd walk through hell on earth if she would wake up. He do anything, if she'd open her eyes for him. A soft motion beneath his head ruffled his hair. Danny's head shot up. Lindsay remained motionless. His head lowered, realizing it was a muscle spasm. Danny sighed deeply and closed his eyes. He lay his head back down next to Lindsay's hand.

Then he heard a soft moan. Danny's head shot up again. He gazed astonishingly into deep chocolate eyes. Every ounce of breath within his chest had been seized. His inhaled slowly. "Linds?"

Lindsay gave Danny a small smile. "Hey cowboy." Her voice was horse from the tube.

Danny smiled and kissed her hand. Tears flooded his eyes. "Oh my god, Lindsay. Can you scare the hell outta me any more?"

"Probably." Lindsay choked.

"Hey, before I forget, you fan clubs waitin' outside." Danny explained. He looked over his shoulder toward the window. Lindsay arched her head to the side and smiled. The entire team was lined up against the window smiling and waving at them. Lucas had woken and was banging on the glass. Lindsay's mother was crying, holding her hand pressed against the glass. Stella's fingers were laced together, pressed against her mouth. She looked relieved, as did the others. Mac was smiling at the both of them, standing next to Stella. Hawke and Flack waved to her.

"You've got one hell of a hold on us, Montana." Danny said. He turned his head back toward Lindsay. Lindsay smiled and gripped his hand tighter.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

tada!!! finished. so how bad was it? be honest. reviews are love and helpful.


End file.
